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UNITE Hair

BOOSTA Finishing Spray For Volume

Styler / Hairspray, medium-hold

  • Styler
  • hairspray
  • aerosol
  • Sulfate-free
  • Lightweight
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8 fl oz
Price$39.50seen at one store · 8 oz
Price / oz$4.94/ozat 8 oz

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Listing used for research: ulta.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Priced above most hairsprays

$4.94/oz at 8 oz — more than 80% of the 95 hairsprays , which mostly run $1.75–4.31/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Soft-hold stylesthat should stay touchable
Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this hold level is right for you depends on your density, porosity, and how long your style has to last — that is what the consultation works out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Hold (as stated) Medium

A medium hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Mixed

Gums and synthetic polymers together.

Cast risk Likely

Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out.

Weight on the hair Light

Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.

Oil absorption Some

Absorbents appear, low in the list.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Fast-drying alcohol High in the list

Fast-drying alcohol in the first three ingredients.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Alcohol Denat. drying alcohol Sets the style fast — the same reason it can read dry Drying
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
WaterWater/Aqua/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Va/Crotonates Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Aminomethyl Propanol pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH pH balancer
Tapioca Starch starch A little oil absorption Neutral
Polymethylsilsesquioxane silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Phenyl Trimethicone silicone A little smoothing and shine Buildup
Triethyl Citrate pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH pH balancer
Peg/Ppg-18 Dimethicone emulsifier Stabilises the mix Buildup
Apm-Isostearoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein conditioning agent Adds slip, lower in the list Protein
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates. Contains fragrance. The silicones here need a detergent wash to come off. Pressurised aerosol.
Full ingredient list (19)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

  • 1 Alcohol Denat.
    General function

    Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

    Role in this product type

    In hairspray, denatured alcohol acts as a fast-evaporating solvent that carries the styling polymers and helps distribute them in a fine spray. As it evaporates, the polymers remain on the hair to form the hold film.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    May suit hair that needs a fast-drying, lightweight spray base rather than an oil- or wax-led finish.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Porous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Consider if hair is very dry or highly damaged: when alcohol is this prominent, the fast-evaporating base may leave the hair feeling drier.

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 2 Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
    General function

    A non-flammable aerosol propellant used in dry shampoos and finishing sprays.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 3 Water · Water/Aqua/Eau
    General function

    The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • solvent
  • 4 Va/Crotonates Copolymer
    General function

    A synthetic film-forming polymer. Polymers of this kind dry to a continuous film on the hair, which is how a styling product holds a shape.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 5 Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
    General function

    A firm hold polymer used in hairsprays and gels. It holds well in humidity and brushes out.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 6 Aminomethyl Propanol
    General function

    A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
  • 7 Tapioca Starch
    General function

    A fine starch that absorbs oil and leaves a dry, grippy feel.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Adds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.

    DependsMaximum-hold styling

    Starch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.

    • starch
    • powder
  • 8 Polymethylsilsesquioxane
    General function

    A silicone. Silicones coat the strand for slip, shine and frizz control; unless the name carries PEG or PPG, removing one takes a detergent rather than water.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    • silicone
    • conditioning agent
  • 9 Magnesium Stearate
    General function

    A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 10 Stearic Acid
    General function

    A fatty acid that thickens creams and helps them hold their texture.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    PubChem
    • emulsifier
    • thickener
    • fatty alcohol
  • 11 Phenyl Trimethicone
    General function

    A high-refractive silicone used specifically for visible shine in serums and finishing oils.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    • silicone
    • emollient
  • 12 Triethyl Citrate
    General function

    A citrate ester used to stabilise fragrance and support the preservative system.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
    • preservative
  • 13 Peg/Ppg-18 Dimethicone
    • emulsifier
    • silicone
    • water-soluble silicone
  • 14 Apm-Isostearoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
    • conditioning agent
    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 15 Fragrance · Fragrance/Parfum
    General function

    An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 16 Linalool
    General function

    A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 17 Benzyl Benzoate
    General function

    A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is a recognised contact allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 18 Limonene
    General function

    A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 19 Geraniol
    General function

    A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own because some people react to it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen

What the whole list adds up to

  • 5 fragrances
  • 4 named fragrance allergens
  • 3 film formers
  • 3 silicones
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 pH adjusters
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 emulsifiers
  • 1 drying alcohol
  • 1 propellant
  • 1 starch
  • 1 powder
  • 1 conditioning agent

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 8 oz

Seen at $39.50 1 store · checked Aug 27
Good value under $35 Under $4.35/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $35 line; products that do this job typically go for about $45 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 1 store

8 ozmost listedBest per ounce

  • Ulta
    $39.50
    8 oz · $4.94/oz
    Aug 27Lowest per oz
  • Ulta
    $39.50
    Aug 25

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 8 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Seen at $39.50 is the price we have observed for the 8 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $35 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.35/oz; at 8 oz that is $35. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $45 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8 oz.

Formula

Formula score
7 of 10

It costs more per ounce than 80% of the 95 hairsprays we’ve priced. The formula covers the core of the format, and we do not have a close match at a lower price.

How the score is counted
  • 1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 80% of the 95 hairsprays we’ve priced
  • No no drying alcohol in the first three in the formula
  • Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
  • A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
  • Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
  • No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

Sexy HairLowest cost per oz Big Sexy Hair Get Layered Flash Dry Thickening Hairspray $2.32/oz $2.62/oz less
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
  • Protein-free
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Protein
Also
  • Unscented
  • Masstige tier
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Built for straight to wavy hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Only if you need exactly this
Best user

Curls that need definition who want defined, clumped curls and something that will not weigh hair down

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or very dry or high-damage hair

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Instant volume, flexible hold, and a satiny-sheen finish

It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.

  • Va/Crotonates Copolymer
  • Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
  • Tapioca Starch
Supported

Leaves room for lift.

Long-lasting body, volume & hold

It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.

  • Va/Crotonates Copolymer
  • Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
  • Tapioca Starch
Supported

Leaves room for lift.

Tames frizz & flyaways

Possible from silicones or film formers, but not something the list targets.

  • Va/Crotonates Copolymer
  • Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
  • Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Stated by brand

May help, but not a primary focus.

Buildable, brushable & flake-free

Hold polymers appear without the emollients that usually keep a film from setting firm.

  • Va/Crotonates Copolymer
  • Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
  • Magnesium Stearate
Potential conflict

Expect a cast you have to scrunch out.

Paraben free + vegan + cruelty-free

No parabens appear in the ingredient list.

Supported

Preserved without parabens.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Keeps volume built into hair holding through the day

fine-hair reviewer on Ulta

Scent is pleasant and not overpowering

Ulta reviewer

Pump stopped working reliably about two-thirds through the bottle

Ulta reviewer

Spray force out of the pump is stronger than expected

Ulta reviewer

More from UNITE Hair

How this page was made

  • Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 2 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 8 of 14 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-08-27.